U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis sat down with rulers of Middle East ally Qatar. He is visiting as part of his Middle East trip meant to strengthen ties in the region and discuss key issues. Mattis is expected to discuss a Syria strategy, the fight against Islamic State, and how to deal with Iran.
Qatar is a keen U.S. ally. Qatari leadership have a keen and sensitive negotiating skill. They brokered a miracle deal to free hostages in Iraq, through deft negotiation involving Iran and Syria. The leadership would be a great asset to the Trump administration for navigating conflict in the region.
As Times of Israel reported, Mattis will visit Djibouti on Sunday after having already visited Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Israel.
